PolyMet Mine

PolyMet is proposing the first sulfide (copper-nickel) mine in Minnesota. MCEA has been engaged in the PolyMet environmental review process from the beginning. In March 2017, MCEA, Save our Sky Blue Waters, and Save Lake Superior Association filed suit against the U.S. Forest Service in federal court. The lawsuit argues that the Superior National Forest land that PolyMet seeks to build their open-pit mine was undervalued and that the land exchange harms taxpayers and users of that land. We are awaiting rulings from a court hearing that was held on August 3rd.

US Steel Minntac Permit

US Steel's Minntac mine has been operating under the terms of an expired and "administratively continued" permit since 1992. In November 2016, MCEA filed suit against the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, asking them to issue an updated permit for Minntac. Later that month, the MPCA issued a new draft permit for Minntac's tailings basin, and MCEA agreed to suspend our suit contingent on MPCA completing this permit in a timely fashion. In March 2017, US Steel sued the MPCA to prevent the issuance of a new permit. Currently, MCEA is engaged in this lawsuit to protect the earlier agreement with MPCA to issue a new permit.